Piercing machine



Nov. 10, 1931.

A. G. WAGNER PIERCING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 10, 1931. A. G. WAGNER PIERCING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 10, 1931. A. G. WAGNER PIERCING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m m w w Nov. 10, 1931.

A. G. WAGNER PIERCING MACHINE Filed Dec.

22. 1927 4 Sheets Sheet 4 INVENTORJ Patented Nov. 10, 19 31 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKIE ALBERT e. WAGNER, or CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR To THE WOLF MACHINE GOM- PANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO PIERCING MACHINE Application filed December 22, 1927. Serial No. 241,806.

Myinvention relates to piercing machines for piercing layers of material, for instance cloth, for providing the same with marks as guides forsubsequent operations, as for location of pockets, flaps, buttons, button holes and other features in the making of clothes, and for other or analogous purposes.

Inst-ancing the employment of my machine in the manufacture of garments, the cloth is arranged in layers'to form a stack or pile, which may be made up of quite a number of thicknesses of cloth. The top of the pile is provided with denoting points, for instance on a pattern, atwhich the cloth is to be pierced, so as to provide all the layers of the cloth with corresponding marks, these marks being holes in the present exemplification.

Objections to thus marking goods heretofore have been, that the marking needle has not been maintained in a path truly perpendicular to the plane of the layers, which resulted in the marks on the various layers be ing untrue with the pattern and with each other, and that, owing to the manipulation of machines as heretofore constructed, shifting between layers of goods took place, and the act of piercing produced a shifting either in position or perpendicularity of the machine,

1 esulting in untrue markings of the layers.

It is the object of my invention to provide a machine by means of which these objections are removed; further, to provide an improved piercing machine of the character mentioned, which is readily portable, in which the major 7 portion of the weight of the machine is at the base of the machine; and, further, to provide a piercing machine in which the motor is adjacent to the base of the machine and at the rear of themachine so as to over-balance the machine at its rear in order that the machine may readily find support on the pile of material, even when the front end of the supporting plate over-hangs the pile. This is especi ally useful when providing marks adjacent to the edge of the pile.

It is the object of my invention further to provide a piercing machine with novel means for effecting the piercing movements by oppositely acting levers, whereby the operator exerts equal forces at opposite sides of the needle for maintaining perpendicularity of the needle and of the machine with relation to the pile; further, to provide selective means for axially moving the piercing needle; further, to provide novel means for mounting the piercing needle and its guide; further, to provide novel means for rotating the piercing needle; and, further, to provide novel interchangeable base means for the machine whereby the machine may be supported sole ly on top of the pile, or a base-plate may be inserted beneath the pile; and, further, to provide novel arrangement of means for illuminating the point of application of the needle to the material.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of my improved device, shown in connection with a pile of goods in cross-sec ion, with the operating handle in down position and the needle in piercing' position.

*ig. 4 is a front elevation of my improved device, with the operating levers and links removed, and arranged for piercing movement of the needle by direct pressure in axial direction on the plunger.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of my improved device, partly broken away, provided with a goose-neck base having a supporting plate e for the pile of goods in place of the supporting plate arranged to be supported on top of the pile.

Fig. 6 is an axial section of my improved device, taken in the plane of the line 66 of Fig. 2, partly broken away. 7

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of my improved device, partly broken away, showing the illuminating means.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a detail of the same, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly broken away, and partly in section in the plane of the line 99 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional detail, taken in the plane of the line 10-10 of Fig. 6, showing the drive connection between the drivesleeve and the spindle of the needle.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional detail, taken in the plane of the line 11-11 of Fig. 6, showing the driving connection between the needle and its spindle.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional detail, taken in the plane of the line 12-12 of Fig. 6, showing the drive connection between the drivesleeve and the needle-guide.

Fig. 13 is an axial section, partly broken away, taken in the plane of the line 13-13 of Fig. 6, showing the releasable connecting means between the drive-sleeve and the needle-guide and between the needle-spindle and its needle, shown in separated relation.

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional detail, taken in the plane of the line 14-14 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional detail, taken in the plane of the line 1515 of Fig. 6, showing the connection between one of the operating levers and the plunger.

Fig. 16 is a side elevation, partly broken away, and partly in axial section, showing a modification of the stop means in adjusting relation.

' Fig. 17 is a similar View, showing the stop means in actuated relation.

Fig. 18 is a similar view, showing the stop means in abnormal relation.

Fig. 19 is a plan view of a detail of the stop means, partly in section in the plane of the line 19-19 of Fig. 20; and,

Fig. 20 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 2020 of Fig. 19.

The frame 21 comprises a housing 22 and a motor 23. The motor casing is the casing of a usual electric motor provided with a suitable rotor 24t having a rotor-shaft 25, journaled in usual hearings in the casing, one of which isshown at 26. The shaft has a worm 27 rigid therewith, wihich meshes with a worm-wheel 28 fixed to a drive-sleeve 29 journaled in bearings 30, in the casing. The drive-sleeve is held in axial direction. The gears and last-named bearings are in the housing 22.

A spindle 31 is rotatable with and axially movable in the drive-sleeve. A stub'32 depends from the housing and is fixed thereto by screws 33 passing through a flange 34 of the stub and screwing into the housing. A

base 35 is fixed to the stub. This base comprises a plate 36 provided with an opening 37 and having a rearward extension 38. It is provided with upwardly extending arms 39, at the upper end of which there is a bearing 40, this-bearing being received about the stub 32 and fixed to the stub. The connection between this base and the stub is shown as releasable, the bearing being shown as a clampbearing provided with slots 41, screws 42 being received through one of the walls of the respective slots and threaded into the opposite wall of the slots for clamping the base to the frame of the machine.

A tube 15 extends upwardly from the frame. A block 46 is fixed to the frame by screws 47, and has a flange 48 in which the drive-sleeve is located, the lower end of the tube 15 being received about the flange and rigidly held thereto. A tube 19 reciprocates endwise on the tube 45.

A bearing 51 is located between the upper end of the spindle 31 and the upper end of the tube 49. This bearing is a radial and endthrust ball bearing, the inner raceway thereof being'held to the spindle between a shoulder 52 of the spindle and a nut 54 screwed over the threaded reduced end 55 of the spindle.

A collar 56 is fixed to the upper end of the tube 49, and forms a flange with relation thereto. A cap 57 is secured to this flange, as by means of screws 58. A spiral spring 59 is located about the spindle between the upper end of the drive-sleeve and the inner raceway of the ball-bearing 51, and normally urges the spindle upwardly.

Rotative connection between the drivesleeve 29 and the spindle 31 is formed by providing the spindle with longitudinal grooves 61, balls 62 being received in these grooves and in recesses 63 in the drive-sleeve. in assembling the parts, the balls 62 are received into the recesses 63 through holes 64 in the opposite portions of the wall of the sleeve. The ball is held in the recess 63 by the outer wall of said recess and by having the'inner end of the wall of the recess upset toward the ball to form a flange 65 for holding the ball in the recess. The longitudinal slots have shoulders 66 at their lower ends, theupper'ends of the slots being open in axial direction. Contact between the lower end-of one of the slots and the lower one of the balls limits upward movement of the spindle.

The spindle is inserted in the drive-sleeve through the lower end of the drive-sleeve, the spindle being turned to locate the longitudinal slots of the spindle in registry with the balls 62, the spindle being pushed upwardly so that its reduced threaded end is received in the inner raceway of the upper ballbearing 51 and the nut 54 being threaded thoreover to clamp said inner raceway between said nut and the shoulder 53 of said spindle. The cap 57 is then secured in place.

A piercing needle 71 is fixed to the lower end of the spindle. The piercing needle is guided, by a guide 7 2 at the lower end of the drive-sleeve. The lower end of this guide is adjacent to the pile of material to be pierced, for readily placing the point of the needle in registry with the mark on the top of the pile, and guiding the needle in close adjacency to the material to be pierced, and thereby resisting side strains upon and tendency of the needle to buckle. This guide rotates 73 of various diameters to correspond to the diameters of the needles.

The lower end of the spindle 31 is provided with a socket 74 in which the head 75 of the needle 71 is received. The head is provided with a slot 76 in which a pin 77 fixed to the spindle is received. The wall of the socket is. provided. with a hole 78 in which a ball 79 is located. The head is provided with a recess 80 in which the inner portion o1 the ball is received. The ballis of such diameter with relation to the wall of the socket, that when the ball is within the outer periphery of said wall, the inner portion of the ball is received in the recess in the head of the needle. When the needle head is properly placed in the socket, the inner face of the drive-sleeveholds the ball in its recess when the ball is within the sleeve. The ball is held inthe hole 78 by upsetting each end of the wall of the hole to form flanges 81, 82.

Theguide 72 is provided with a stem 85 received in the drive-sleeve. The drive-sleeve is provided with a hole 86 in which a ball 87 is located. The inner portion of the ball is received in a recess 88 in the stem. The drivesleeve is provided with an annular groove 89 in which there is a spring-ring 90, the spring-ring urging the ball inwardly into the recess in the stem of the guide, the ball being prevented from passing inwardly through the hole by providing the inner end of the hole with a retaining flange 91. The springring is maintained wholly within the annular groove 89 so as not to interfere with rotation of the drive-sleeve and to permit the ball to be pressed outwardly when it is desired to remove or insert a guide.

The point 92 of the needle is normally close to the top of the pile of material. Axial movement of the needle through the layers of material. is caused by axial movement of the spindle, the drive-sleeve, the needle, the spindle, the guide and the spring, as well as the inner raceway of the upper ball-bearing, rotating during such axial movement.

The axial movement may be caused by operating levers 96, 97, which normally project upwardly and outwardly at opposite sides of the machine. They are provided with handles 98, 99, at their upper ends arranged to be grasped by the operator. The levers are pivoted to the frame on pivot screws 100, 101, at their lower ends. Links 102, 103. connect the levers with the upper end of the plunger or tube 19. The lower ends of these links are received in slots 104, 105, in the levers and are pivoted to the levers on pivot screws 106, 107. The upper ends of the links are pivoted by pivot screws 108, 109, connecting such upper ends with the flange 56 or the tube 49.

The outer ends of the levers are depressed equally in opposite directions by the operator, which balances the :t'orce applied, so that the needle and spindle are maintained in perpenicular direction with relation to the pile of material, whereby the needle is caused to move in perpendicular direction through the layers of material. This is aided by the fact that the center of gravity of the machine is in the lower part of the machine close to the material, and by the pivoting of the levers in the lower end of the machine, the levers acting in opposite directions on said pivots.

The distance of travel of the needle through the goods is determined by the adjustment of a stop, shown comprising a rod 111 adjustable axially in bearings 112, 113, on the tube 19. The bearing 112 is shown as a split-bearing, a threaded stem 114. and a nut 115 being arranged to clamp the bearing about the stop-rod. A set-screw 116 is threaded in the bearing 113 and is arranged to clamp the rod in adjusted positions. The holes in the bearings 112, 113, in which the stoprod is located, are preferably slightly out of line, so that the set-screw 116 exerts a crimping action upon the rod to maintain the rod in adjusted positions. (See Fig. 13.)

The stop-rod coacts with a movable step 119, pivoted to the block 46 by a screw 120, which is arranged to secure the stop 119 in place. The normal position of the stop 119 is in axial line with the stop-rod 111 for determining the extent 01 normal piercing movement of the needle.

At the lowermost extent of piercing movement of the needle, the lower end of the spindle S1 and of the head of the needle therein, are sufiiciently high to avoid shift-- ing of the guide 72. If, however, it is desired to change the needle, the stop 119 is swung on its pivot so as to move it out of range of the stop-rod 111, whereby further or abnormal downward movement of the needlespindle is permitted. Such abnormal downward movement exerts ejecting pressure upon the guide in the lower end of the driving sleeve, causing the inner wall of the re cess 88 to urge the ball 8? outwardly, resisted by the spring-ring 90, for permitting axial movement of the guide out of the drivesleeve. Further outward movement of the needle-spindle places the ball 79 beyond the end of the drive-sleeve, whereupon the ball 7 9 is moved outwardly out of obstructing relation with the head 7 5 of the needle, which is thereby readily released endwise out of the spindle.

A different needle may be thereupon inv serted in the socket 7 1, the slot in the inner end of the head of the needle being received about the pin 77 with the recess 80 in the head of the needle in registry with the hole 7 8 in the wall of the socket. When the ball has been located in this hole and the recess, the spindle may be moved axially to locate the ball within the drive-sleeve, thereby forming a firm rotary drive connection and a firm connection in axial direction between the needle and its spindle.

A guide having a uide-hole complemental with the diameter of the needle just inserted may now be inserted in the outer end of the drive-sleeve; the insertion of the stem of said guide into the bore of said sleeve causing retraction of the ball 87, the ball being automatically received in the recess 88 in said stem when the guide has been rotated relatively to the drive-sleeve to cause registry between said recess and said ball.

The renewal of needles and guides and the substitution of needles and guides is thus accomplished readily and quickly. The stop 119 having been returned to normal position, the device is ready for use with the newly inserted needle.

If it is desired to remove the needle-spindle from the machine, it is necessary only to remove the cap 57 and the nut 54, whereupon the needle-spindle may be driven axially through the drive-sleeve 29, thereby causing ejection of the guide 72 and release of the needle 71 from the spindle.

An illuminating device, shown as an electric bulb 121, is located in a cavity 122 below the rotor of the motor, the cavity being shown in a lower extension 123 of the motor casing, and having a removable wall 124 secured in place by screws 125. The wall of the cavity is provided with an opening 126, located between the electric bulb and the openin 37 in the base-plate 36, the rays of light rom the bulb illuminating the lower end of the needle and the upper face of the pile of goods through said opening 37 in adjacency to the needle, so that registry of the point of the needle with the mark in the pattern or on the top layer of the pile may be readily and quickly obtained for determining the proper position of the device with relation to the goods.

The device is extremely portable, being readily shifted by means of a handle 131 arranged to be readily grasped by the operator for lifting and shifting the device andplacing it in desired positions. The handle is shown projecting laterally from the motor casing and is adjacent to the lower end of the device so that the position of the lower end of the device is readily controlled by the operator.

An electric switch 132 is located at the inner end of the handle and is readily operated by the hand of the operator grasping the handle. The electric wiring is preferably such that the operation of the switch controls the operation of the motor and also the bulb. When the switch is on, the motor operates and the bulb is lit, and when the switch is off the current is off the motor and off the bulb.

, If it is desired to employ the device without the levers 96, 97 and the links 102, 103, these levers and links are readily removed by removal of'the pivot screws 100, 101, 108, 109. These pivot screws are preferably shoulder screws received over the end of the lever and link respectively, and located in lugs at the respective sides of said respective pivoted ends, being threaded into one of said lugs, as shown for instance in Fig. 15.

hen employing the device without the levers and links, the axial movement of the needle is obtained preferabl by downward pushing upon the cap 57, and ready carrying and shifting of the device is obtained by V grasping said cap or the outer periphery of one of the tubes.

It may be desired in certain classes of work to insert a supporting plate under the pile of goods and to move the needle axially toward and from the supporting plate. When this is desired, I prefer to emplo 1 a gooseneck support, such as shown at 135, having a supporting plate 136, provided with a hole 137, in which the end of the needle is received after piercing the goods, and having a bearing 138. This bearing is a split-bearing, similar to the bearing 40, and is arranged to be clamped around the stub 32, by means of screws 139, similarly to the screws 42. The bearing'13S is at the end of an overhanging arm 140 overhanging the supporting plate 136. The supporting base 35, arranged to be supported upon the goods, and the goosencck base 135'are interchangeable on the stub 32 for supporting the machine.

The frame is provided with a usual terminal 141, with which usual flexible wiring connecting with a usual lamp or power socket may be connected in usual manner.

The drive connection between the motor and the drive-sleeve permits the speed of rotation of the needle to be materially reduced while maintaining an intimate drive connection between the motor and the needle. The rotors of motors of this character rotate at very high speeds, and it has been found in practice that where direct connection is made between the rotor of the motor and the needle, such high speeds of rotation are imparted to the needle as to unduly burn the fabric. By means of my improved drive connection I am enabled to rotate the needle at sufficiently high speeds to form holes of suflicient permanency in the fabric, so that the holes are readily discernible in the following operations upon the fabric, but that burning of the fabric is avoided.

I have in Figs. 16 to 20 inclusive shown a modification of the stop means which permits ready setting of the stop and a yielding of the stop for insuring penetration of the lower layersof the material beyond the point of the needle or piercingtool, in order that holes of proper diameter and durability may be made in the lower layers the material. This modification is employablc' with piercing ma chines provided with the base or the gooseneck support 135.

In this arrangement, a stop-rod 146 is re ceived through guide holes 147, 148, in brackets 149, 150, extending from the tube 49. These brackets are shown on a bracket-bar 151. A lever 152 isprovided with a bracket 153, in which there is a hole 154, through which the stop-rod 146 is received. The lever is provided with a manual contact portion 155, which is manuallymoved by the operator for releasing the stop-rod.

The lever has a fulcrum point 156 between the endof its bracket 153 and the wall of the angle between the bracket 149 ano its bar 15 1, upon which the lever is arranged to swing for placing the hole 154, in line with the holes 147 148, or for shifting movement between the walls of said holes so as to bind the stop-rod between them.

A spiral spring 161 is received about the stop-rod between the bracket 153 and the bracket 150, for normally urging the bracket I 153 toward the bracket 149.

an angle with relation to each other.

A spring 162 is located between a lug 163 on the lever and a lug 164 on the bracket 150. A pin 165 is located between said lugs, being secured in the lug 163, for supporting the spring 162.

The lever 152 forms a locking lever for the stop-rod. It will be noted from Fig. 16, in which the stop-rod is shown in release relation, that the walls of the holes 154, 147 148, are in line with each other, and that no clamping action or binding action is exerted upon the stop-rod. This permits the stop-rod to readily drop or to be moved axially into contact with a coacting stop 167. The lever in this figure is assumed to be pushed toward the tube 49. It will be further noted that in this figure the brackets 153, 149, are arranged at The bracket 149 is rigidly fixed at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tube 49.

When the lever is released, the springs 161, 162, urge the swinging of the lever upon its pivot for arranging the wall of the hole 154 out of line with the walls of the holes 147, 148, and thereby exerting a clamping force upon the stop-rod for firmly securing the stop-rod in adjusted position. In this relation of the parts, shown in Figs 17 and 20, the stop rod is clamped upon the outer portions of the walls of the holes 147, 148, by the inner portion of the wall of the hole 154 on the lever. It will be noted from Figs. 17 and 20, that in such relation both the brackets 149, 153, are parallel with each other and arranged at an angle to a plane of the tube 49.

The coacting stop 167 is shown as a yieldable stop. It comprises a stem 168 axially movable in a socket 169 in a lug 170 extending from the frame of the machine. The stem is provided with a knob 171, arranged to be contacted by the stop-rod. The stem is provided with a slot 172, in which a pin 173 is received, the pin being secured in the wall of the socket. A spring 17 4 urges the coacting stop upwardly toward the stop-rod. If desired, the position of this coacting stop may be adjustable, as by providing a screw 175 received in the threaded lower end of the socket, and provided with a stem 176 about which the spring 174 is received. The axial position of this screw determines the limit of downward movement of the coacting stop.

The yieldable stop means are especially useful for insuring proper penetration of the lower layers of the material, for instance, beyond the taper of the point end of the needle, so that the holes is these lower layers may be of sufficient diameter to be readily perceived in the material and may be similar to the holes piercedin the layers thereabove.

.My improved stop means permits the depth of piercing movement of the needle or other piercing instrument to be readily gaged while allowance is made for further piercing move ment of the piercing tool to insure proper penetration of the lower layers.

Thus, referring to Fig. 16, if it is desired to set the stop, and assuming that a piercing machine hav ng a supporting plate arranged to be received on top of the pile of material is employed, the piercing machine is placed in overhanging relation at the edge of the material, and the needle caused to descend perpendicular to the axis alongside of the edge of the material, as'by manipulation of the handles 98, 99, until the point of the needle reaches the surface 177 of the table-top 178 on which the pile of material is supported. The lever 152 is moved during such position of the needle so as to release the stop-rod, which thereupon drops or is moved so that its lower end rests on the top of the complemental stop, without how-- ever depressing the complemental stop, whereupon the lever is released and the stop rod thereby clamped in adjusted position.

The piercing machine is placed in proper position with relation to the mark denoting the point of piercing, and the plunger is caused to descend, therebvcausing theueedle to pierce the material. This descent ofthe plunger is continued until the stop-rod engages its coasting stop, and the piercing movement is further continued. for yielding movement of the coacting stop, whereby the point of the needle is caused to move further in piercing direction and below the bottom of the layers of material, the point passing through the lower layers of material for insuring proper piercing of such lower layers. This relation of parts is exemplified in Fig. 17. The point of the needle may pass into the table-top.

My improved stop means has the further advantage that if it is desired to release the needle and the rotating guide, the stop-rod is withdrawn or raised to sufficient extent to permit the abnormal movement of the tube 49 necessary to eject or release the rotating ide and the needle in manner hereinbefore escribed. Such relation of the stop and release relation of the rotating guide and needle are exemplified in Fig. 18.

It is obvious that changes, rearrangements and reversals of parts in the mechanism herein shown and described may bemade without departing from the spirit of my invention recited in the accompanying claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fabric piercing machine, the combinationofadrive-sleeve having a bore, a iercing-tool spindle movable axially in sai bore and having rotative connection with said drive-sleeve, a piercing-tool guide, said piercing-tool guide and the lower end of said drive-sleeve having a joint in axial direc tion between them, said drive-sleeve and said guide provided with complemental recesses across said joint, a laterally movable latch in said recesses, and spring means normally urgingsaid latch across said joint for being partially received in one of said recesses, and the wall of said last-named recess and said 3. In a fabric piercing machine, the combination of a drive-sleeve havin a bore, a piercing-tool spindle movable axially in said bore and having driving connection with said drive-sleeve for rotating said piercing-tool spindle, a piercing-tool guide at the lower end of said drive-sleeve, an automatically releasable drive connection between said drivesleeve and said guide, means whereby to move said piercing-tool spindle downwardly for normal feeding movements of said piercingtool through the material, stop means for normally arresting said feeding movements, and shiftingmeans forsaid stop means whereby to permit movement of said spindle in feeding direction to abnormal extent for coaction of said spindle with said piercing-tool guide for automatic release of said automatically releasable drive connection and of said piercing-tool guide.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

ALBERT G. WAGNER.

latch relatively formed for causing retreat of said latch from said last-named recess by abnormal axial movement of said spindle in piercing direction whereby to move said piercing-tool guide axially for release of said piercing-tool guide from said drive-sleeve.

2. In a fabric piercing machine, the combi nation of a drive-sleeve having a bore, a

piercing-tool spindle movable axially in said bore and having rotative connection with said drive-sleeve, a piercing-tool guide, a piercing-tool having guided movement in said guide, releasable connecting means between said piercing-tool and the lower end of said spindle, and releasable connecting means between said guide and the lower end of said drive-sleeve, means to cause downward axial feeding movements of said'spindle each of said releasable connecting means comprising a laterally movable latch and complemental recesses, and said latches and the walls of the complemental recesses therefor relatively so formed as to cause lateral movements of said latches in release directions by abnormal movements in axial feeding directions respectively of said piercing-tool guideand of said piercing-tool for axially separating said guide from said drive-sleeve and said piercing-tool from sa1d splndle. 

